FOR TASTE - An altar de muertos is pictured at Mi Tierra on Monday, Nov. 26, 2012. MICHAEL MILLER / FOR THE EXPRESS-NEWS

FOR TASTE - An altar de muertos is pictured at Mi Tierra on Monday, Nov. 26, 2012. MICHAEL MILLER / FOR THE EXPRESS-NEWS

Photo: Michael Miller, San Antonio Express-News

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FOR TASTE - A dining area is pictured at Mi Tierra on Monday, Nov. 26, 2012. MICHAEL MILLER / FOR THE EXPRESS-NEWS

FOR TASTE - A dining area is pictured at Mi Tierra on Monday, Nov. 26, 2012. MICHAEL MILLER / FOR THE EXPRESS-NEWS

Photo: Michael Miller, San Antonio Express-News

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FOR TASTE - Art on the walls is pictured at Mi Tierra on Monday, Nov. 26, 2012. MICHAEL MILLER / FOR THE EXPRESS-NEWS

FOR TASTE - Art on the walls is pictured at Mi Tierra on Monday, Nov. 26, 2012. MICHAEL MILLER / FOR THE EXPRESS-NEWS

Photo: Michael Miller, San Antonio Express-News

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FOR TASTE - Workers take a break at Mi Tierra on Monday, Nov. 26, 2012. MICHAEL MILLER / FOR THE EXPRESS-NEWS

FOR TASTE - Workers take a break at Mi Tierra on Monday, Nov. 26, 2012. MICHAEL MILLER / FOR THE EXPRESS-NEWS

Photo: Michael Miller, San Antonio Express-News

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FOR TASTE - The bakery is pictured at Mi Tierra on Monday, Nov. 26, 2012. MICHAEL MILLER / FOR THE EXPRESS-NEWS

FOR TASTE - The bakery is pictured at Mi Tierra on Monday, Nov. 26, 2012. MICHAEL MILLER / FOR THE EXPRESS-NEWS

Photo: Michael Miller, San Antonio Express-News

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The entrance of Mi Tierra is pictured on Monday, Nov. 26, 2012. MICHAEL MILLER / FOR THE EXPRESS-NEWS

The entrance of Mi Tierra is pictured on Monday, Nov. 26, 2012. MICHAEL MILLER / FOR THE EXPRESS-NEWS

Photo: Michael Miller, Express-News File Photo

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Review | Mi Tierra Café y Panaderia

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You know you're in San Antonio when the difference between a perfectly fine restaurant visit and one that's special comes down to a well-placed enchilada.

It happened during a dinner at Mi Tierra, when my wife told a waitress she couldn't decide between grilled chicken or a green enchilada plate. The upbeat response:

“Why decide at all?” she asked. “Get the chicken and an extra enchilada on the side.”

It was a perfect solution, especially since both items were among the stars of a pair of visits, but it was the enthusiasm, friendliness and helpfulness of the exchange that showed what makes this place a local classic.

Moments like this are why you should expect to make a visit here if you have friends or family in town for the upcoming holidays. After all, it's a timeless attraction, almost as beloved as the Alamo and River Walk, a place where visitors can bask in the sounds of strolling mariachis and take in the atmosphere with decorations that proclaim Christmas all year long.

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Too often, those of us who live here say it's only for tourists or the after-bar crowd, but that's doing a disservice to the Cortez family and the many employees of this place who work hard to keep it going. Running a restaurant is difficult; operating a 500-seat place even more challenging; doing it 24 hours a day is an impressive feat of organization, stamina and dedication.

That said, sometimes the food and service can vary in its quality.

When things are on, this place helps create fond memories because the dishes can be quite nice, the service can prove welcoming and the atmosphere brings feelings of happiness and festivity. When things aren't going right, they're memorable for the wrong reasons.

So if you're going to go, you should know what to try and what to avoid.

A Tuesday lunch seemed to show the downside of the long hours. It started with a grumpy hostess who brusquely lined up two parties of three against a souvenir counter while a man who appeared to be her supervisor barked out instructions before she herded us to our respective tables with what could only be described as a snarl. A waiter who kept rushing us didn't help.

Then the dishes continued the underwhelming experience. They came out from the kitchen too quickly, suggesting they had already been made and were holding hot. On the Botana Platter, the mini flautas that should have been crisp were limp and the shredded chicken had little flavor. That was too bad, because the small tostadas topped with picadillo worked much better.

A steaming bowl of the Caldo Mercado, the version here of the tortilla soup, tasted greasy, and the broth conveyed little of the rich interplay of flavors that a good tortilla soup brings.

Meat dishes during lunch fared better. The Steak Tampiqueña was quite a nice plate. The seared rib-eye had a good flavor, and a green enchilada featured a well-balanced roasted tomatillo salsa that proved among the best green salsas at any restaurant, period. A red salsa that tops the steak should have been thicker, almost like relish. Instead it was watery and interfered with the good sear on the steak.

Another meat item was tasty, if a bit confusing with the name. The El Rancho Special was described as “succulent beef simmered in pepper, onion and tomato sauce,” but instead came out as a classic South Texas carne guisada. Not bad at all, but not what we expected.

Dinner on a Sunday conveyed a completely different experience. It started with happy staff members, starting with a hostess, manager and server who welcomed our group and thanked us for visiting. The food tasted better, too.

Even the Nachos Mi Tierra, the basic combination of refried beans, cheese and fajita meat, were hard to resist. The beans did have a heavy taste, though, like they had been refried with plenty of bacon grease or lard. We asked for extra jalapeños and demolished them anyway.

The star of that dinner was easily the charbroiled chicken breast, a marinated and juicy breast, coated with herbs and served with guacamole, pico de gallo and frijoles a la charra, with cheese-covered potato slices and tortillas on the side. The potatoes didn't need the cheese, but the chicken turned out so well it didn't matter.

Beef fajitas didn't fare as well as the chicken. Although nicely marinated, these were somewhat overcooked, and the overstuffed plate had only a small amount of meat. If you're in the mood for fajitas, head to the Cortez family restaurant next door, La Margarita. It serves some of the best fajitas in town.

Bottom line: Go for the grilled items, snag the green enchiladas, be cautious with the soup, try to get there during a less-busy time and just know that the refried beans are quite heavy.

No matter the stumbles during a meal, a cup of Mexican hot chocolate, topped with whipped cream, makes everything better. It tastes like Popular, the brand from Monterrey, which has a bit more of a cinnamon flavor than some of the other well-known brands such as Ibarra and Abuelita.

And when the mariachis are singing and tables of complete strangers join to serenade somebody in “Las Mañanitas,” or “Happy Birthday,” it's clear that the appeal of this place goes far beyond the plate.